State’s budget deficit could spell disaster for parks

NATURAL PERSPECTIVES

The biggest turkey on the table today is the state’s budget

crisis. It is no longer looming. It’s here.

In early November, the state’s legislative analyst predicted a

whopping $21.2 billion deficit. Current backroom estimates are that

the deficit will top $25 billion. We can’t even wrap our minds around

a figure that huge.

What this is going to mean is even less money for important local

projects. Bolsa Chica, the Shipley Nature Center, Huntington wetlands

and the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center are all beneficiaries of

state funds, either directly or indirectly. The people working with

these various projects will tell you that money is already scarcer

than a Democrat at a Lincoln Club meeting.

The state determines how much of certain tax revenues will stay at

the local level. Huntington Beach is already reeling from state

withdrawals from these funds for 2003. The next budget year promises

to be even worse.

Part of the revenue the city is counting on is under state

control. The 2003 city budget is based on state commitments of

revenue allocation. But what if the state decides to reallocate to

itself even more local revenue?

We trust that our assemblyman, Tom Harman, will do all in his

power to protect us from losing this revenue, but he’s only an

assemblyman, not a miracle worker.

One way or the other, we’re going to have to pay for the services

that we want. Parks cost money to maintain and operate. Even clean

water and clean air cost money these days. The reality of having so

many people on this planet is that it costs a lot to reduce the

effect of our industrialized lives on the air we breathe, the water

we drink and the ocean that we swim and play in.

The cuts to the 2003 budget have already affected people in

Huntington Beach. This year, we saw Shipley Nature Center close. We

saw the park ranger get reassigned to beach duty. We saw public

phones removed from Central Park. Aside from the loss of our park

ranger to the cause of environmental education, these losses are a

public safety issue. Central Park is big enough and has enough

visitors that it needs a ranger presence, someone with a uniform, a

badge and an air of authority.

There may be a low-cost solution to this small part of the budget

crisis. The Huntington Beach Police Department has two volunteer

programs, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and Volunteers in

Police Service. Either group might be able to provide a uniformed

presence for regular patrols of Central Park.

We hope Chief Kenneth Small would give the order and volunteers

could begin park patrols. Their presence would discourage dogs off

leash, harassment of wildlife, vandalism, littering, illicit sex in

the bushes, homeless hangouts and a host of other ills that beset any

urban park.

The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve also has suffered from lack of

funds. The higher ups at the Department of Fish and Game claimed that

they had no money for needed repairs. We worried that the reserve

might be closed to the public due to lack of funds for maintenance.

Thanks to Harman’s efforts, the department found state funds for

repair to the parking lot and walk bridge. Some repairs are being

made as we write; more are scheduled for 2003.

Meanwhile, volunteers work to improve habitat there. In the

absence of a windfall, people have turned out month after month, year

after year, to pull ice plants, to plant native plants and pick up

trash. They’re doing a good job, but we need 10 times more people out

there.

Gov. Gray Davis is calling a special session of the legislature to

tackle the budget problem. The ensuing battle over whether to raise

taxes or cut services or a combination of both won’t be pretty.

Somehow, it seems that environmental projects always suffer.

From the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center to the Bolsa Chica to

the Shipley Nature Center, this community is already running its

environmental programs with volunteers. In these times of dire need,

volunteerism is increasingly important.

On this special day of thanks, that is what we are most grateful

for: all the caring, hard-working people of this community. We’re

glad you’re there. We need more of you. Together, we can keep our

parks and open spaces the places of peace, repose and safety for

humans and wildlife that they need to be. Have a happy Thanksgiving.

* VIC LEIPZIG and LOU MURRAY are Huntington Beach residents and

environmentalists. They can be reached at [email protected].